Vise

ABSTRACT

A vise having a fixed clamping jaw and a clamping carriage mechanically movable relative to the clamping jaw by means of a threaded spindle. Such vise is equipped with a fluid pressure operable amplifier, the amplifying pressure of which is conveyed to a high pressure chamber provided in the clamping carriage. The supply of pressure medium is controlled by valve means. These valve means include a valve sleeve arranged on the coupling shaft and furthermore include control bores provided in the clamping carriage. When the clamping carriage engages the work piece, the valve is opened by means of an axial relative motion of a coupling shaft which is connected with the spindle means of a disengageable clutch. The coupling shaft is operated by a crank handle which, when the clutch is engaged, also effects the mechanical feeding movement of the clamping carriage by means of the spindle.

United States Patent 1 June 11, 1974 Weber VISE [75] lnventor: Albrecht Weber, Hilchenbach,

Germany [73] Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Hilma Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter l'laftung, Hilchenbach, Germany [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 290,864

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 21, 1971 Germany 2146996 [52] US. Cl 269/28, 269/221, 269/321 ME [51] Int. Cl B25b 1/18 [58] Field of Search. 269/27, 28, 32, 221, 321 ME; 100/270 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,803,157 8/1957 Seitter 269/32 X 3,095,190 6/1963 Freund 269/32 X Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter Becker [5 7 ABSTRACT A vise having a fixed clamping jaw and a clamping carriage mechanically movable relative to the clamping jaw by means of a threaded spindle. Such vise is equipped with a fluid pressure operable amplifier, the amplifying pressure of which is conveyed to a high pressure chamber provided in the clamping carriage. The supply of pressure medium is controlled by valve means. These valve means include a valve sleeve arranged on the coupling shaft and furthermore include control bores provided in the clamping carriage. When the clamping carriage engages the work piece, the valve is opened by means of an axial relative motion of a coupling shaft which is connected with the spindle means of a disengageable clutch. The coupling shaft is operated by a crank handle which, when the clutch is engaged, also effects the mechanical feeding movement of the clamping carriage by means of the spindle.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 40 am 13 37 4 film PATENTEDJUM I 1914 3 NW N mm M 1 Q U y m mm m @m mm mu VISE The present invention relates to a vise having a fixed clamping jaw and a clamping carriage which is mechanically movable relative to the clamping jaw by means of a threaded spindle. More specifically, the invention concerns a vise of this type which is equipped with a clamping pressure amplifier for a pressure medium introduced into the vise, the amplifying pressure of which is conveyed to a high pressure chamber provided in the clamping carriage. A main piston is provided in the high pressure chamber, which main piston is supported in the lower part of the vise by the intervention of a screw or spindle and spindle nut, while the supply of the pressure medium is controlled by means of a valve. When the clamping carriage engages the work piece, the valve is opened by means of an axial relative motion of a coupling shaft or spindle which is connected with the spindle by means of a disengageable clutch. The coupling shaft or spindle is operated by a crank handle which, when the clutch is engaged, also effects the mechanical feeding movement of the clamping carriage by means of the spindle.

Vises of the above mentioned type with pneumatichydraulic power operations are known. To control the supply of a pressure medium, such vises have arranged on the outside a separate control valve, which is adapted to be operated by a connecting rod system in conformity with the axial movement of the coupling shaft and which must be adjusted during assembly of the vise. With this known embodiment, long and difficult to manufacture connecting channels for the supply of compressed air are necessary. Furthermore, the separate control valve results in a relatively great overall length of the clamping carriage.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above described drawbacks of the known arrangement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a control for vises of the above mentioned type which can, while requiring little space and being of simple contruction, bev cheaply produced and easily mounted.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a partially sectioned top view of a vise according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through the vise according to the invention along the line II II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an end view of the operating side of the vise according to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial section through the connecting point between the lower part of the vise and the turntable according to the invention taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a transverse section through the forward part of the clamping carriage according to the invention taken along the line V V of FIG. 1.

The invention is characterized primarily in that the vise comprises a control valve which includes a valve sleeve arranged on the coupling shaft and furthermore includes control bores provided in the clamping carriage. 1

According to a further development of the invention, the valve sleeve is displaceably mounted in a bore of the clamping carriage and has its mantle surface provided with an annular passage, which always communicates with a connecting bore for the supply of the pressure medium and which is connectable with a control bore, which opens into the pressure chamber of the primary piston of the pressure transmitter and which, with the valve open, is in communication with a bore for discharge or exhaust air.

According to a still further feature of the invention, the valve sleeve is biased in opening direction by a compression spring which simultaneously forms the compression spring for the coupling between the spindle and the coupling shaft. In conformity with the invention, the compression spring is arranged between a support or bearing plate and the valve sleeve. The support or bearing plate forms one end of the clamping carriage. With regard to the coupling shaft, the valve sleeve engages a thrust bearing secured to the coupling shaft, and with regard to the clamping carriage, the

valve sleeve engages a spring ring.

The control according to the invention for a power operable vise has, over the heretofore known design with a valve flange to the outside, the advantage that it is simpler in construction and more reliable in operation, while at the same time the control located within the clamping carriage is mechanically better protected. Due to the small number of individual parts, not only a more economic manufacture but also a simpler assembly will be possible, which latter can be carried out also by the user with ordinary tools- The awkward setting or adjustment of the valve tappet as it is necessary with arrangements of the heretofore known type will not be necessary. Since the axial movement of the coupling shaft for actuating a separate valve has no longer to be effected from the interior of the clamping carriage to the outside, the elements within the clamping carriage are safely protected against the entry of dust and chips. In view of the elimination according to the invention of the additionally built on valve, which latter is necessary with the prior art, it is possible to make the body of the clamping carriage longer while maintaining the same overall length of the vise, so that the displacement stroke of the differential piston built into the clamping carriage will be greater. As a'result thereof, the displacement volume of the differential piston and thus the high pressure stroke of the vise is increased.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the vise illustrated is pivotally mounted on a turntable 1 for pivoting about a pivot 2 in order, with the aid of a marking and scale (FIG. 1), to make possible a precise angle adjustment of the vise with reference to the not shown machine table'. The fixing of the vise upon turntable l is effected by four clamping screws 3, which respectively threadedly engage T-shaped groove blocks 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the groove blocks 4 are movably arranged in the corresponding guiding grooves la in the turntable l.

The vise comprises a lower portion 5 upon which, by means of two pins or bolts 6, a fixed clamping jaw 7 is fastened, the clamping jaw 7 being slipped upon the lower portion of the vise 5 with press fit. The vise further comprises a clamping carriage 8 which forms the movable clamping jaw and for this purpose, just as is the fixed clamping jaw 7, is provided with a clamping strip 9. To movably mount the clamping carriage 8, the

lower portion of the vise 5 provided with guide ways 5a, which are engaged from below by guiding strips 8a of the clamping carriage 8. The connection between the clamping carriage 8 and the lower portion of the vise 5 results through a supporting angle member 10, which, by introducing a pintle or bolt 11 in several pintle bores 5b of the lower portion of the vise 5, is securable in different positions on the lower portion of the vise 5, an forms one piece with a spindle nut a.

A spindle l2, rotatably mounted in the clamping carriage 8, threadedly engages the spindle nut 10a. The rear end of the spindle 12 is radially journalled in a guiding sleeve 13, which is secured in the clamping carriage 8 by means of a spring ring 14. Between the flange or collar 12d of the spindle l2 and the guiding sleeve 13 there is an axial clearance which makes possible a high pressure stroke of the clamping carriage 8 of about 1 mm to 5mm. The foward end of the spindle 12 is guided by a pin 15a of the main piston 15, which is housed in the cylindrical bore of a high pressure chamber 16 in the clamping carriage 8, and which rests on the forward end of the spindle 12 during the high pressure stroke of the clamping carriage 8. This main piston 15 is loaded by means of a cup spring packet 17, which is arranged between the main piston 15 and a guiding ring 18. The guiding ring 18 is in turn secured in the cylindrical bore of clamping carriage 8 by means of a spring ring 19. A further or inner spring ring 20 serves to mount the cup spring packet 17 upon the pin 15a of the main piston 15. By means of a positioning or abutment pin 21, which is radially inserted in the forward end of the spindle l2, and which may abut an abutment edge of the spindle nut 10a, and unintenional turning of the spindle 12 out of the spindle nut 10 is prevented.

The main piston 15, which is provided with a sleeve or collar 22, is acted upon by the pressure of the pressure medium prevailing in the high pressure chamber 16, which pressure medium is under a preload to assure a constant pressing effect of the sealing elements. This preload is, during filling of the high pressure chamber 16 with pressure medium created by means of an oil filler screw 24 (FIG. 5) which is provided with a preloading piston 23, and is constantly maintained by means of the cup spring packet 17 (FIG. 1) which forms an energy storage means.

The pressure increase in the high pressure chamber 16 required for the creation of the clamping force is brought about through a pressure transmitter comprising a primary piston 25 (FIG. 1) and a secondary piston 26. The rod-shaped secondary piston 26 of the pressure transmitter is guided in a groove ring bushing 27 and extends with its forward end into the high pressure chamber 16, so that its displacement results in a change in the pressure in the high pressure chamber 16. With the specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the primary piston 25 of the pressure transmitter is acted upon by compressed air, which is supplied to the pressure side of the primary piston 25 through a control bore 28. The pressure chamber of the primary piston 25 is sealed by means of a special sealing piston 29, which is fastened to a support or bearing plate 30 of the clamping carriage 8 by means of a screw 30a.

The supply of compressed air is controlled by means of a crank handle 31, which at the same time serves to mechanically feed the clamping carriage 8. The crank handle 31 is slipped onto a coupling shaft or spindle 32,

which is rotatably as well as slidably mounted in the support or bearing plate 30 and in a valve sleeve 34. The coupling shaft or spindle 32 is axially, aligned with the spindle 12 and is connected with the spindle 12 by meansof a coupling pin 35, which engages a forked spindle head 12a of the spindle 12. The spindle head 12a is provided with an inclined front surface portion 12b. The coupling pin 35 is normally biased in the forked recess l2e (FIG. 2) of. the spindle head 12a by means of a compression spring 36, which is arranged between the support or bearing sleeve 33 and the valve sleeve 34. The pressure of this compression spring 36 is conveyed partially to the spring ring 14 and partially by a thrust bearing 37 to the coupling shaft or spindle 32. This thrust bearing 37 is secured to the coupling shaft or spindle 32 by means of a spring ring 38. An additional spring ring 39 in the valve sleeve 34 sees toit that the two race rings of the thrust bearing 37 are held together even with a shifting of the coupling shaft or spindle 32 in relation to the thrust bearing 37.

The valve sleeve 34 has upon its circumference an annular passage 34a which, independent of the position of the valve sleeve 34, is constantly connected with a connecting bore 40 (FIG. 1), which is closed or sealed by a nozzle or mouthpiece 41 for the compressed air connection. The nozzle 41 is provided with a check valve which prevents a drop in the clamping force if, with a clamped vise, the supply of compressed air decreases or fails alltogether. In unclamped state of the vise, the pressure chamber of the primary piston 25 of the pressure transmitter is in continuous communication with the atmosphere through the control bore 28, the annular chamber surrounding the compression spring 36, and a bore for discharge or exhaust air 42.

To clamp in a work piece, the supporting angle member 10 including the spindle nut 10a is, by means of the pintle or bolt 11, secured to the lower portion of vise 5 in spaced relationship to the fixed clamping jaw 7 and spaced therefrom by a distance corresponding to the respective work piece. This is done by displacing the clamping carriage 8 with the turned back spindle 12 in such a way that the pintle or bolt 11 may be inserted in that one of the three pintle bores 5b which corresponds to the thickness of the work piece to be clamped. Then, by turning the crank handle 31 clockwise, spindle 12 is turned in the spindle nut 10a, whereby a mechanical positioning of the clamping-carriage 8 results. With this mechanical positioning, the spindle 12, which is moved forward, drives the clamping carriage 8 by means of the main piston 15 and the pressure medium found in the high pressure chamber 16. The connection between the coupling shaft or spindle 32, which carries the crank handle 31, and the spindle 12 is effected by the compression spring 36, which sees to it that the coupling pin 35 remains in engagement with the forked spindle head 12a.

As soon as the work piece to be chucked is positively engaged by the two clamping strips 9 on the fixed clamping jaw 7 and on the clamping carriage 8, the coupling pin 35 in the coupling shaft 32, is, during the further turning of the crank handle 31, pushed up upon the inclined front surface portion 12b of the forked pintle head 12a against the thrust of the compression spring 36 until it engages the abutment surfaces of the forked spindle head 12a. During this relative motion of the coupling shaft or spindle 32 relative to the spindle 12, caused by the cooperation of the inclined front surface portion 12b of the spindle head 12a with coupling pin 35, there results a displacement of the valve sleeve 34 in a direction towards the bearing plate 30. During this displacement the valve sleeve 34 acts upon the coupling shaft or spindle 32 through the thrust bearing 37 and the spring ring 38.

At that moment at which the annular passage 34a of the valve sleeve 34 establishes a connection between the connecting bore 40 and the control bore 28, compressed air is conveyed to the pressure chamber of the primary piston 25. This compressed air displaces the primary piston 25 and the secondary piston 26 of the pressure transmitter, so that the secondary piston 26, which is sealingly guided in the groove ring bushing 27, enters the high pressure chamber 16 of the primary piston 15. According to the transmission ratio of the pressure transmitter, there will be obtained an increase in the pressure in the high pressure chamber 16. This increase in pressure brings about that the clamping carriage 8 is displaced relative to the main piston in the clamping direction by fractions of the high pressure stroke. In this connection the main piston 15 rests against the spindle 12 by means of pin 15a, which in turn is supported by a spindle nut 10a and the supporting angle member 10 in the lower portion of the vise 5. 1n clamped state of the vise, the coupling pin 35 abuts the abutment surface 12 6 above the inclined front surface portion 12b of the spindle head 12a. The coupling shaft or spindle 32 remains in this position, so that a constant communication of the pressure chamber of the primary piston with the supply of compressed air is assured through the valve sleeve 34 remaining in its position.

To be able to take the clamped-in work piece out of the vise, it is necessary first to reduce the applied clamping force and subsequently to pull back the clamping carriage 8 to such an extent that the work piece may be taken out from between the clamping strips 9. For the reduction of the clamping force, the crank handle 31 is turned counter-clockwise, whereby the coupling pin is lifted off from the abutment surface l2c of the spindle head 12a and is returned over the inclined front surface portion 12b of the spindle head 12a to the bottom of the forked spindle head 12a. This movement is aided by the compression spring 36. In this connection the compression spring 36 simultaneously brings about that the valve sleeve 34 is displaced beyond the control bore 28, so that the pressure chamber of the primary piston 25 is shut off from the supply of compressed air and is connected with the outside air through the control bore 28, the annulus surrounding the compression spring 36, and the bore for the discharge 42. With reduced pressure in the pressure chamber of the primary piston 25, the primary piston 25 and with it the secondary piston 26 are returned to the starting position, whereby also the pressure in the high pressure chamber 16 is reduced down to the preloading pressure. Then, by a further counter-clockwise movement of the crank handle 31, the spindle 12 is turned back by means of the coupling pin 35. In this connection the spindle 12 supported in the spindle nut 10a takes with it the clamping carriage 8 through a flange or collar 12d, the guiding sleeve 13 and a spring ring 14, so that the work piece will be released.

In order, during the clamping of work pieces having deformable fins or burrs or of a plurality of not completely flat work pieces which rest on upon the other, for instance, a bundle of sheets or laminations, to be able to mechanically apply a preloading by positioning of the spindle, it is necessary to switch off the power operation which automatically occurs with the clamping carriage 8 engaging the work piece. For this purpose the coupling between the spindle 12 and the coupling shaft or the spindle 32 may be blocked or locked by displacing the coupling shaft of spindle 32 in the direction toward the spindle 12 by means of the crank handle 31 against the force of a return or restoring spring 43, which is arranged between the spindle l2 and the coupling shaft or spindle 32 according to F 16. 1. In this connection the coupling pin 35 moves into the recess l2e (FIG. 2), which is arranged below the inclined front surface portion 12b in the spindle head 12a. During further turning of the coupling shaft or spindle 32, by means of the crank handle 31, the coupling pin 35 situated in the recess 12e cannot reach the inclined front surface portion 12b of the spindle head 12a, so that no axial displacement of the coupling shaft or spindle 32 results, which otherwise would result in a supply of the compressed air. As soon as the necessary preloading force is obtained, the operator no longer exerts the axial pressure upon the coupling shaft or spindle 32, and the return or restoring spring 43 then moves the coupling shaft or spindle 32 with the coupling pin 35 to the normal position, in which, with the further turning of the crank handle 31, the above described addition of the power operation is automatically effected.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the specific showing in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What 1 claim is:

1. A power operable vise which comprises: supporting means, first clamping means fixedly connected to said supporting means, a clamping carriage movably connected to said supporting means and including second clamping means, a threaded spindle rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage for moving the latter relative to said first clamping means, fluid operable clamping pressure amplifier means connected to said clamping carriage for exerting fluid pressure upon said clamping carriage in the direction towards said first clamping means, said amplifier means including a high pressure chamber in said clamping carriage for receiving amplified pressure fluid, piston means reciprocably arranged in said high pressure chamber, a coupling shaft rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage and in substantially axial alignment with said spindle, valve means arranged within said clamping carriage for continuously controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said amplifier means, said valve means including valve sleeve means directly upon said coupling shaft and also including control bore means arranged directly in said clamping carriage, clutch means for selectively engaging and disengaging said spindle and said coupling shaft with and from one another, and crank handle means for rotating said coupling shaft.

2. A power operable vise according to claim 3, in which said valve sleeve means are displaceably mounted in said clamping carriage and in which said control bore means includes a connecting bore for the supply of pressure fluid, a control bore which opens into said amplifier means, and a bore for discharge 7 fluid, said control bore being in communication with said discharge bore when said valve means are in open condition, said valve sleeve means being provided with a mantle surface having an annular passage, said annular passage being in continuous communication with said connecting bore and being adapted to be continuously connected with said control bore.

3. A power operable vise which comprises: supporting means, first clamping means fixedly connected to said support means, a clamping carriage movably connected to said support means and including second clamping means, a threaded spindle rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage for moving the latter relative to said first clamping means, fluid operable clamping pressure amplifier means connected-to said clamping carriage for exerting fluid pressure upon said clamping carriage in the direction towards said first clamping means, said amplifier means including a high pressure chamber in said clamping carriage for receiving amplified pressure fluid, piston means reciprocably arranged in said high pressure chamber, a coupling shaft rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage and in substantially axial alignment with said spindle, valve means arranged within said clamping carriage for controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said amplifier means, said valve means including valve sleeve means associated with said coupling shaft and also including control bore means arranged in said clamping carriage, clutch means for selectively engaging and disengaging said spindle and said coupling shaft with and from one another, crank handle means for rotating said coupling shaft, and compression spring means associated with said coupling shaft, said spring means continuously urging said valve sleeve means to move in opening direction, said spring means simultaneously serving as compression spring means tending to establish engagement of said spindle and said coupling shaft with each other.

4. A power operable vise according to claim 3, which I includes a bearing plate arranged at one end of said clamping carriage and which also includes thrust bearing means secured to said coupling shaft and spring ring means, said compression spring means being arranged between said bearing plate and said valve sleeve means, said valve sleeve means abutting said thrust bearing means and said spring ring means. 

1. A power operable vise which comprises: supporting means, first clamping means fixedly connected to said supporting means, a clamping carriage movably connected to said supporting means and including second clamping means, a threaded spindle rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage for moving the latter relative to said first clamping means, fluid operable clamping pressure amplifier means connected to said clamping carriage for exerting fluid pressure upon said clamping carriage in the direction towards said first clamping means, said amplifier means including a high pressure chamber in said clamping carriage for receiving amplified pressure fluid, piston means reciprocably arranged in said high pressure chamber, a coupling shaft rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage and in substantially axial alignment with said spindle, valve means arranged within said clamping carriage for continuously controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said amplifier means, said valve means including valve sleeve means directly upon said coupling shaft and also including control bore means arranged directly in said clamping carriage, clutch means for selectively engaging and disengaging said spindle and said coupling shaft with and from one another, and crank handle means for rotating said coupling shaft.
 2. A power operable vise according to claim 3, in which said valve sleeve means are displaceably mounted in said clamping carriage and in which said control bore means includes a connecting bore for the supply of pressure fluid, a control bore which opens into said amplifier means, and a bore for discharge fluid, said control bore being in communication with said discharge bore when said valve means are in open condition, said valve sleeve means being provided with a mantle surface having an annular passage, said annular passage being in continuous communication with said connecting bore and being adapted to be continuously connected with said control bore.
 3. A power operable vise which comprises: supporting means, first clamping means fixedly connected to said support means, a clamping carriage movably connected to said support means and including second clamping means, a threaded spindle rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage for moving the latter relative to said first clamping means, fluid operable clamping pressure amplifier means connected to said clamping carriage for exerting fluid pressure upon said clamping carriage in the direction towards said first clamping means, said amplifier means including a high pressure chamber in said clamping carriage for receiving amplified pressure fluid, piston means reciprocably arranged in said high pressure chamber, a coupling shaft rotatably mounted in said clamping carriage and in substantially axial alignment with said spindle, valve means arranged within said clamping carriage for controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said amplifier means, said valve means including valve sleeve means associated with said coupling shaft and also including control bore means arranged in said clamping carriage, clutch means for selectively engaging and disengaging said spindle and said coupling shaft with and from one another, crank handle means for rotating said coupling shaft, and cOmpression spring means associated with said coupling shaft, said spring means continuously urging said valve sleeve means to move in opening direction, said spring means simultaneously serving as compression spring means tending to establish engagement of said spindle and said coupling shaft with each other.
 4. A power operable vise according to claim 3, which includes a bearing plate arranged at one end of said clamping carriage and which also includes thrust bearing means secured to said coupling shaft and spring ring means, said compression spring means being arranged between said bearing plate and said valve sleeve means, said valve sleeve means abutting said thrust bearing means and said spring ring means. 